9/11/2019 Triphala — More Than Just a Digestive Tonic : Plants, Spices and Oils | Maharishi Ayurveda

Triphala: More Than Just a Digestive Tonic

Triphala, found in MAPI's Organic Digest Tone, is one of the most famous herbal compounds
in ayurvedic medicine. Triphala literally means "three fruits." The three fruits contained in
Triphala are Haritaki (Chebulic Myrobalan), Amalaki (Amla) and Bibhitaki (Belleric
Myrobalan).

Traditionally, Triphala comes in many different forms, including the Triphala tablets available
from Maharishi Ayurveda Products International.

Triphala can also be mixed with other herbs in compound formulations. Triphala Guggulu, for
instance, is much more powerful than Guggulu (Guggul) alone.

A powerful rasayana
There is a saying in India that if a vaidya (ayurvedic expert) knows how to use Triphala
properly, he can heal any disease. It is a highly revered rasayana in Maharishi Ayurveda.
A rasayana is the most highly refined and powerful herbal and fruit combination in ayurveda,
and is known to promote long life and vitality. A rasayana promotes ojas, the finest product of
digestion that prevents disease, creates luster in the skin and rejuvenates the whole body.

Besides nourishing the mind and body and promoting longevity, Triphala has many specific
effects. It is particularly rejuvenating for the digestive tract, and is a rasayana for the eyes
and the skin.

Triphala, found in MAPI's Organic Digest Tone, balances Apana Vata, the subdosha of Vata
that governs the colon, lower abdomen, menstrual flow and elimination. For most people
Triphala is a mild laxative, and for that reason it is excellent for clearing toxins from the
digestive system. In very rare cases it has a stronger laxative effect, but usually it is an ideal
bowel cleanser precisely because of its mildness. In moderate doses it is gentle, and
detoxifies the body slowly.

Because it is slow, you can take Organic Digest Tone for longer periods of time, and then it
has a deeply purifying effect. It goes deep into the physiology and releases the toxins at a
much deeper level. Because it detoxifies the blood, muscle and fat tissues, it is excellent for
preventing skin disease. And because it removes ama (toxins) from the fat tissue, Organic
Digest Tone also helps balance cholesterol.
Triphala, found in MAPI's Organic Digest Tone, also purifies the urine and prevents urinary
tract disease. It enhances all thirteen agnis (digestive fires), especially the main digestive fire
in the stomach. It pacifies Kapha and Pitta and, if taken regularly, is a powerful anti-aging
rasayana.

The ingredients
The ingredients that make up Triphala, found in MAPI's Organic Digest Tone, are powerful
individually. When combined correctly, synergy enhances the healing quotient exponentially.
The first ingredient is Haritaki, or Chebulic Myrobalan. This fruit is mentioned in almost all
ayurvedic textbooks. Charaka goes so far as to say that Haritaki is as nourishing and useful
for everyone as mother's milk. He mentions that it's a rasayana for the eyes and good for the
digestive system. It helps enhance the absorption of nutrients in food. Haritaki is a

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yogavahini, which means that it cleanses the channels and is absorbed quickly by the body.
In addition, the Charaka Samhita says that Haritaki is all-dosha balancing. Very few fruits
and herbs have this designation.

Amalaki, or Amla, the second ingredient, is known as a divine plant in the ayurvedic materia
medica. Amalaki is also a rasayana, which means that it has longevity-enhancing and
disease-defying qualities. The Charaka Samhita says, "Amalaki is the best among
rejuvenative herbs."
Amalaki fruit contains the sweet, sour, bitter, astringent and pungent tastes. The only taste
missing is salty. Because it contains five out of the six tastes, it is balancing to all three
doshas.
There are many excellent qualities in Amalaki. Amalaki helps purify toxins from the body, by
enhancing food absorption. When your digestion becomes stronger, the food you eat is
converted to nutrition rather than staying undigested and producing impurities. The unique
thing about Amalaki is that it heightens digestion, yet is not heating. That's why it's
traditionally considered one of the best herbs for balancing stomach acid. By enhancing
digestion, it helps eliminate toxins from the body. It also does this by strengthening and
stimulating the liver. Amalaki also helps elimination and helps relieve constipation, so you
can see why Triphala also has that quality.
Amalaki is an excellent source of Vitamin C, and is the most concentrated and absorbable
source of the vitamin in the plant kingdom. It also contains other absorbable minerals that
nourish the skin, the blood and the whole body. Because of its high content of Vitamin C,
Amalaki is a powerful antioxidant.

Bibhitaki, or Belleric Myrobalan, the final ingredient in Triphala, is also famous in the
classical ayurvedic texts for its many good qualities. Charaka reports that it is ideal for
pacifying both Pitta and Kapha, and that it cleanses the nutritive fluid (Rasa Dhatu), the
blood, the muscle and the fat tissue. Sushruta points out the bhedana effect of this fruit,
which means that because of its heating quality it clears the clogged channels almost as if
drilling them clear.
So now you can see why Triphala is so powerful: it's because the three fruits that make up
the formula have remarkable abilities to cleanse impurities, tone the digestive tract, nurture
the body and restore health.
Quality Matters
There are many brands of Triphala available in the market. The Council of Maharishi
Ayurveda Physicians recommends that you look for top-quality Triphala, found in MAPI's
Organic Digest Tone. Settling for second best can mean you do not derive the full range of
benefits this amazing formula has to offer.
At Maharishi Ayurveda, we are committed to using only the highest quality ingredients, and
to upholding the authenticity of the ayurvedic tradition no matter what the cost. One
example of this: the Haritaki fruit comes in seven different varieties. While all are beneficial,
the Vijaya variety is mentioned by all the great ayurvedic seers as the best variety to use,
which in itself is rare, as not many fruits and herbs are universally acclaimed by all the seers.

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Vijaya is the only variety that is used in Maharishi Ayurveda's Triphala, because it is,
quite simply, the best. But while it is the best, Vijaya is also the most rare. This scarcity
makes it more expensive; in fact it is ten times the price of other varieties of Haritaki.
We use fruits that are grown without pesticides, chemical fertilizers or exposure to
environmental pollutants, and harvest the fruits only at their peak, when they are ripe on the
tree.
Once the fruits are collected, at the processing factory they are sorted and tested to make
sure the batch is of the right degree of ripeness and the proper quality. The fruits are washed
and cleansed of traces of jute (jute bags are used to collect the fruit), dirt and dust. They are
tested for foreign material, heavy metals and for bacteria before, during and after
processing. The processing methods we use do not destroy the natural properties of the
fruits.
Diet and lifestyle tips to maximize benefits

Here are some tips that will help your body maximize the benefits from taking Triphala:
It's important to avoid building up toxins in your body in the first place. Avoid foods that
include chemical preservatives, emulsifiers and additives of any kind. Also try to avoid
foods that are grown with pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Eat fresh, organic, well-
cooked foods whenever possible. Avoid eating packaged, frozen, canned, "fast" or
leftover foods, as these dead foods are hard to digest and create toxins when the body
can't digest them properly.
Avoid ice-cold drinks, as they reduce the digestive fire. Drink plenty of warm water
throughout the day to help flush out toxins. Eat sweet, juicy fruits daily if possible, as
these help cleanse the rasa (nutrient fluid) and the bowels.
Go to bed by 10:00 p.m. so your body can rest during its natural purification period
from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
Eat your main meal at midday, when your digestive fire is high. Eat lighter at breakfast
and supper, when your digestion is not as strong. Save the harder-to-digest foods such
as yogurt, meats (if you're not vegetarian), and potatoes for the noon meal.
Eat your meals at the same times each day. Eat only when you're hungry, and wait a
full three hours after a main meal before snacking. This will allow the food to digest
properly. Take your time when you eat, and be sure to chew your food. Don't try to
watch TV, read or work while you're eating, as that will only be a recipe for indigestion.
Savor the flavors, and enjoy the colors, aromas and textures of your food. Light,
pleasant conversation with people you love is best for digestion. Avoid intense
conversations or emotional topics while eating.
Eat only until you are three-fourths full. Usually it takes a few minutes for the brain to
register that you're full, so if you eat until you're stuffed, you're probably going to feel
uncomfortable a while later. Also, the digestive system needs some space to operate
in, so stuffing yourself to the maximum will actually inhibit digestion. Allow five minutes
to sit after the meal is finished to get your digestion off to the right start.
When you drink milk, boil it first with fresh ginger or cardamom pod, or add a pinch
each of the ground ginger and cardamom spices. Let the milk cool to the temperature
you like and then drink it. This is the ayurvedic way to make milk more digestible and to
avoid the build-up of mucus. Avoid combining milk with salty foods, fish, and foods of

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mixed taste. It digests well when you drink it alone between meals, or with other sweet
tastes such as cereal, desserts, or toast.

© Copyright 2019 Maharishi Ayurvedic Products International, Inc. (MAPI). All Rights
Reserved. MAPI does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. These statements
have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products are not intended to
diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. See additional information.

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